Braves Hammer Marlins

By AP&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Mon 9:21 PM, Jul 30, 2012

ATLANTA (AP) -- Jason Heyward homered and scored three runs and the Atlanta Braves snapped a string of 16 straight losses on Mondays, including 12 this season, by beating the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Monday night.

Starting pitcher Tommy Hanson was the only Atlanta player or coach who did not wear high socks in an apparent old-school fashion attempt to end the Monday curse.

Hanson (12-5) still had his pants low to his shoes as he gave up one run on six hits in five innings. The Braves, coming off a three-game sweep of the Phillies, have won six straight.

The Braves won on a Monday for the first time since Aug. 22, 2011, a 3-0 win at the Cubs.

Atlanta, a season-best 14 games over .500, trails first-place Washington by 3 1-2 games in the NL East.

Miami left-hander Mark Buehrle (9-10) gave up six runs on eight hits and four walks in 4 1-3 innings. He still needs one win for his 12th straight season with at least 10 wins.

Buehrle was making his second start against the Braves in seven days. Atlanta began its six-game winning streak when Buehrle did not receive a decision in the Marlins' 4-3 loss to the Braves in Miami on Tuesday.

Heyward hit his 17th homer, one shy of his career high as a rookie in 2010, off Buehrle in the third. Michael Bourn singled in Paul Janish in the fourth for a 2-0 lead.

Emilio Bonifacio singled with one out in the fifth and scored on Jose Reyes' bloop double in front of a diving Martin Prado. Lee followed with a single to left, but Prado threw out Reyes with a strong throw to the plate, protecting Atlanta's 2-1 lead.

The Braves added four runs in the fifth. Heyward singled and moved to third on Freddie Freeman's one-out double off the right-field wall. Buehrle walked Brian McCann to load the bases before Dan Uggla hit a two-run double that skipped past Bryan Peterson in left field.

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, who earlier Monday announced he was moving Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen, brought in the big right-hander for his first relief appearance of the season. Zambrano struck out Paul Janish before giving up a two-run single to pinch-hitter Juan Francisco.

Following a fielding error by Reyes on Heyward's grounder, Zambrano gave up an unearned run in the sixth on Freeman's single. Janish singled off Chad Gaudin and scored on Bourn's grounder in the seventh.

Cristhian Martinez threw two scoreless innings before Braves left-hander Luis Avilan struck out Brett Hayes with the bases loaded to end the eighth.

Avilan, a rookie making only his fifth appearance, walked pinch-hitter Austin Kearns with one out in the ninth. Kearns scored on Murphy's infield single and Avilan's error on a wild throw to first.

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